The Day the Earth Stood Still (Special Edition)

I added this movie to my collection and man, what a great movie. It’s one of those classics that holds up without needing a massive budget or over-the-top special effects. The story is strong, the message still hits, and it’s just got that old-school sci-fi charm that modern movies can’t really replicate. If you’re into thoughtful, well-paced sci-fi with a bit of mystery and meaning behind it, this is one of the greats. Simple, smart, and totally worth watching again and again.

I've watched the original The Day The Earth Stood Still at least 20 times. The relative unknown to US audiences British actor Michael Rennie played Klaatu( the spaceman in the silver suit from the flying saucer) and the known movie star Patricia Neal played Helen. Gort the huge robot was played by Lock Martin who was 7ft 7in tall.The movie is in B/W and the sound is very good. To me the movie being B/W was not a subtraction. Almost all the actors/actresses are now dead so this movie is also of historical significance.I love quality Science Fiction and have read hundreds of Sci Fi books and watched dozens and dozens of Sci Fi movies. INMO the original The Day The Earth Stood Still is in the top 5 Sci Fi movies of ALL time. The plot and acting were superb! There is some limited special effects but nowhere near the amount of special effects in today sci fi movies. To create this QUALITY Sci Fi movie great acting was needed and Michael Rennie playing Klaatu, Patricia Neal playing Bobbie's mother and Sam Jaffe playing Professor Barhardt were superb. These INMO was the highlight of the movie...the superb plot and great acting. The special effects were first class for 1950ish technology but were secondary.This movie was put out during the height of the cold war when many people were watching the sky and afraid of a nuclear exchange between the US and the USSR. There is even a talk in the movie of the spacecraft being from the soviets by the actress who played Aunt Bea in the Andy Griffin television series.I wont ruin the movie for you. A flying saucer type spacecraft lands near the White House and Michael Rennie comes out of the ship holding a gift to view life on other worlds for the President but is shot by a soldier and the gift destroyed. Out of the ship comes the giant robot Gort to save Klaatu. Gort disintegrates some soldiers guns, tanks and artillery. Klaatu deactivates Gort before he can disintegrate all the soldiers. Klaatu is taken to an army hospital,the bullet is removed and his wound dressed ; and he escapes. He makes friends with a boy named Bobbie and his mother Helen played by Patricia Neal. Klaatu helps Professor Barnhardt with advanced propulsion equations and shows the world leaders the power he commands ...Klaatu zaps the world for 1/2 hour. No electricity world wide except emergency life sustaining power...the Earth stands still. Later Klaatu and Helen try to get to the ship for a meeting with the worlds scientists via taxicab. Klaatu is hunted by the military, gunned down and killed , but he is brought back to the ship and brought back life for an unknown limited time by the robot Gort. Helen must stop Gort before he destroys the Earth. Klaatu gives the assembled scientists the ultimate ultimatum; that if the world ....I won't ruin the great ending.This is some of the best ever Science Fiction. A true ultimate classic. If you like quality Sci Fi this DVD of the original The Day the Earth stood Still is a must have to add to your collection. Our family viewed the new The Day the Earth Stood Still with the flying nanobots eating everything and killing people. The special effects were better but the acting and plot were nowhere as good as the original.Just look at the hundreds of other 5 star reviews by other reviewers! The original the Day the Earth stood still on DVD rated 5 stars plus.

Who does not remember these words? True Mumbo-Jumbo, but what flair...I usually do not buy Full-Screen DVDs of old movies, since it is not vital to have them, if you own their VHS counterpart. Sometimes, the old transfers are even better than the newly, so-called restored versions.But in this case I made an exception and was truly impressed by the difference.Much clearer sound (true Digital Stero), excellent Contrast resolution of the Black & White tones.A Masterpiece. Bravo!This tiny Sci-Fi picture of 1951, starring a then unknown actor, Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal and Sam Jaffe is more a metaphor and an answer to the anti-communist "witch-hunt" and cold war ambience in which the U.S. Government had thrown the Nation.Partly borrowing from the Bible, the Hero, the visiting Alien (Michael Rennie) appropriately calls himself "Mr. Carpenter", and as in the Bible, he comes to bring peace to a world gone mad.Mind you, I am not a believer, but having been raised Catholic, its part of my heavy burden, hence I know about such things.Now, back to the movie and its value.To express it in just a few words, one can only say that it is a small Gem of a picture.Never boring, always entertaining, and with a message of all things!Even the primitive special effects of the day are forgivable, considering the smooth, perfect and natural acting of all involved.Sam Jaffe, one of the best character actors of those years is simply perfect as the scientist meeting Mr. Carpenter.It is evident that an allusion to Albert Einstein was made there.Patricia Neal, is yes, the "weak" link of the movie, having to play the mother and housewife figure, but in the end, isn't she who helps the Alien to make contact with the "minds" of the planet?Think about it, we are in the midst of the Korean War, at the beginning of the Cold War, in which housewise usually did not go roaming around in worldwide adventures, limiting themselves to cook, clean and keep husbands and children happy.No, in this movie, in 1951, we see a conventional woman, who overcomes her fears and actually helps our hero complete his mission.Anti-conventional you say? You bet!The entire move is weaved with care and is well told. Oh, and ah yes, storytelling.Talking about storytelling, this is one example in which storytelling is truly everything. Consider the fact that this movie is just about 90 minutes in length.Nowadays, if they were to remake it (let's hope not!), it would go overboard into a full-fledged 2 hours and 20 minutes long movie. Boring!Sometimes I ask myself what writers had back then, that they don't have anymore.Creativity? You bet!Originality? You got it!Imagination? Well said!Writers in those days (and mind you, in those days, writers had a far harder life than today, especially with all those darned censorship limitations, not forgetting the McCarthy's blacklist), still knew how to KISS (short for: keep it short stupid) and still keep the audience gripped and glued to their seats.Today, unless you have a Circus for a movie (meaning tons of sex and special effects) you wouldn't keep a horse awake.My passionate feeling is to suggest to you to buy it.You won't be sorry, even if you, and I would expect such argument, are not a sci-fi aficionado or fan.This is one of those movies that speaks to one's humanity and most hidden, inner feelings.And still, in its simplicity, it is also a spectacular picture that I am sure, will be remembered and mentioned in schools in decades to come, as what it is: a tiny Gem.An ideal precursor to Star Trek...

Great movie at a good price. Good value. Well-packaged and lightning-fast shipping. Thank you. A+

If you love movies from the 1950s, The Day the Earth Stood Still is a solid sci-fi classic. The pacing is slower compared to modern films, but the message, atmosphere, and iconic characters (like Klaatu and Gort) still hold up. It’s thoughtful, not flashy — more about ideas than action. A must-watch for fans of vintage science fiction!

Have watched this movie many, but many times and don't get tired of it.